Tactile Tales
Complete print‑Braille children’s books, page by page.
Tactile Tales transforms standard print picture books into complete twin‑vision books: the full story embossed in Braille on transparent adhesive sheets and affixed directly over each page. Following consultation with accessibility staff at the San Francisco Public Library system, the project expanded from cover‑only labeling to full‑text transcription: blind and visually impaired children read the actual story by touch, while sighted parents, caregivers, and siblings follow the same page’s original illustrations at the same time.
A curated pilot collection
Every selected book receives title labels on the spine and front cover, tactile orientation markers, and complete word‑for‑word Braille text on every interior page.
Books go into the Honorback collection, an uncatalogued, honor‑system shelf anyone can borrow from without a library card, so any family can take one home immediately, with no account or fine hurdles.
10–20 board books, chosen where text‑to‑image layout allows a clear overlay without obstructing the artwork, a modest scope for a single youth worker still climbing the Braille and labeling learning curve.
Five steps, book to shelf
Selection & text preparation
Partner with youth services librarians to select 10–20 high‑demand picture books, then transcribe the full story into Unified English Braille.
BrailleBlasterProduction
Emboss translated page lines onto heavy‑duty, transparent Braille vinyl using the project’s acquired embosser.
Romeo Pro embosserApplication & binding
Precision‑cut transparent strips and apply them to the lower portion of each illustrated page.
Cover & orientation finishing
Add durable spine and cover labels, plus a tactile bump dot in the upper‑left corner of the front cover for instant right‑side‑up orientation.
Quality review
Proofread every tactile page against the print text to ensure error‑free reading before the book returns to circulation.
$503 total, itemized
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
|
Cut sheet Braille labelling sheets
50 pcs per pack · 1 pack, for interior page text
|
$52.00 |
|
Pin‑fed Braille labels
30 pcs per pack · 1 pack, spine & cover text
|
$42.00 |
|
Clear vinyl label tape, 0.5″
6 rolls, cover & spine finishing
|
$20.00 |
|
Label cutter / rotary trimmer
One‑time tool
|
$38.00 |
|
Corner rounder punch tool
One‑time tool
|
$25.00 |
|
Self‑adhesive library card pockets
50 pcs per pack · 1 pack
|
$15.00 |
|
Heavy cardstock
65–80lb white, 8.5″×11″
|
$10.00 |
|
Clear tactile bump dots
100 pcs per pack · 1 pack, cover orientation markers
|
$14.00 |
|
Used embosser
One‑time tool, local pickup
|
$185.00 |
|
Archival book tape
2 rolls, edge & binding reinforcement
|
$32.00 |
|
Reizen manual embosser
2 units already purchased
|
$70.00 |
| Total budget | $503.00 |
Full literacy access
Elevates young blind readers from merely choosing a book to actively reading every page, building crucial early UEB tactile literacy skills.
True dual‑media family bonding
Lets a blind child and sighted parent, or a blind parent and sighted child, sit together and read the exact same book at the same time.
A sustainable library model
Leaves Daly City Public Library with a documented workflow and a permanent set of twin‑vision books that enrich the community for years to come.